Cold Hell
by Lullah Burnett
Summary: Ego vs. Ego. Cullen vs. Swan. Tough guy and new CEO Edward Cullen encounters cold-as-ice heiress, Isabella Swan. They collide, but they click. She makes an offer, he wants to refuse. But, maybe, just maybe . . . making a deal will open the gate to something both didn't even think it was possible. AH/Cannon Couples/OOC/Rated M.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, it belongs to Stephenie Meyer. The story is all mine, though.**

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 **A/N: Welcome to my first fic. No cheating, Romance/Humor, HEA, a little of drama. Edward and Bella must deserve their HEA. Rated M.**

 **I'm new, and if you'd like to follow me on twitter: Lullah _ Burnett**

 **Now, I present you my newborn, My Simba!**

 **See you at the bottom**

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 **Chapter 1**

"Come in, Angela," I tell my secretary, after I hear her knock, without looking from my computer.

"Mr. Cullen, Swansea called and scheduled an emergency meeting for tomorrow".

That makes me look at her. "Emergency meeting?"

"Yes, that's what they said. Including the attorneys".

What? "Put Charles Swan on line 1, immediately," I demand and start closing all files on the computer while Angela goes to her desk to make the call.

What's going on? Two weeks ago, I had the last meeting with Swansea, an international chain of full service hotels and resorts, and we closed the deal officially: Cullen Construction would build the new Las Vegas Swansea Hotel within a year and a half. I don't understand why we need another meeting when the land is purchased, licenses and permits are in place, engineers already checked the floor plans and the architects completed the design; besides, we have all the material, machinery and workers. The construction was planned to start a month after the final meeting, so now it's supposed to begin in two weeks.

Charles Swan must be kidding if he wants to make a damn change at this point.

"Swansea on line 1, Mr. Cullen," Angela says over the intercom.

I immediately pick up the phone and press L1. "Cullen speaking".

"Swan replying," I hear a female voice say.

Swan? That's definitely not Charles Swan, maybe his secretary. "Miss, be kind and put your boss on the phone".

"I don't have a boss, I am the boss," the woman answers me.

"Well, sorry. Let me make myself clear." I pause for dramatization. "I want—no, _need_ , to speak to Charles Swan right now".

"Well, sorry," she says, mockingly. "Let _me_ now introduce myself, I'm Isabella Swan, his daughter." Eh . . . Now I understand something, at least. "And my father is not available, Cullen".

"Listen, Isabella, I really need to talk to him," I try again in a very adamant tone. "Please," I bite out, just in case; maybe she will be nice to me.

"Cullen, there's nothing my father can say that I cannot, so the answer would be the same from both of us. It'll be just as if you had spoken to him".

Then . . . "Okay". I pause. "Why did you schedule an emergency meeting—attorneys included?"

There's a long silence before she says, "You'll know why tomorrow. What we have to say can't be said on the phone, nor would it be appropriate". She hangs up.

What the fuck? She hung up on me, now I don't have any single fucking answer. I wasted a minute and a half on nothing.

But I'll know what's going on tomorrow.

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At 6 p.m. I'm still at my office even though my work for today has officially ended at 5 p.m.; I'm worried and have a bad feeling about this meeting for tomorrow, what if they cancel the contract? I can't lose this deal. I took over my dad's place as CEO just five months ago and had to prove myself to every client assuring that the company would remain the same with me in charge, or would even get better. I've stayed with my feet on the ground even after all that has happened in these lasts months, I should get a fucking price, it hasn't been easy at all.

Our family business was first founded over sixty years, now it had grown enormously thanks to the Cullen men in charge and has numerous offices around the United States, and soon enough Europe; now I'm the head and brain, leading it all from New York City, my favorite place in the world.

Many of my dad's friends told me they trusted me and soon will be making business with us at the Cullen Shift Party where my dad passed his position over to me, and one of them had been Charles Swan. I hadn't know the man until that very same night, but my father has known him since college. Swansea has existed for nearly twenty-four years and would be celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary opening a new hotel in Las Vegas. That, only if they don't back down on our arrangement.

I have to call someone, feeling truly worried. Angela must have already called all of my attorneys, and one of them is my best friend, Jasper Whitlock. I call him, and he picks up at the second ring. "Hi, sweetie," he laughs. "Been waiting all afternoon for your call".

"Cut the shit, Whitlock, you are making me blush," I say.

"Cullen, listen, you have nothing to worry about, I called Swansea and talked to Emmett Swan".

"Who is Emmett Swan?" I ask. I truly know nothing about the Swan family other that they have a lot shit of money and many hotels around the globe.

I hear Jasper sigh. "Charles' son, he's in charge of all legal aspects of Swansea. He has a sister, Isabella".

"Why do I know about all this now? Today I found out the man's daughter—who, by the way, says she _is_ the boss". Yeah, right.

Silence on the other end of the line. "That's because she _is_ the boss now, Edward. Prepare for a hell lot of shit tomorrow and the days to come. For what I know, Isabella can make secretaries pee and poop in fear from just staring at them". What the hell? What happened to Charles in charge and all that? "Well, as I was saying, Emmett only said his sister would explain everything tomorrow and to be ready to do a lot of paperwork".

"What happened to Charles Swan? Why isn't he the boss anymore?" Questions, I have a lot of questions. Can anybody fucking answer them?

"Don't know a damn thing, she just took over the position, I don't even know when" my friend says. "But what I did find out is that Charles won't be present at the meeting. My hypothesis is that he's retiring now, but the man ain't even _that_ old". I know. He must be my dad's age, but then again, my dad retired at the tender age of fifty-three.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"What kind of questions is that? I'll be in your office, tomorrow 9 a.m. The meeting is at 10 o'clock I think, my boys and I have a lot of things prepared if they plan on cancelling the deal, which I know is something no one at Cullen wants".

"God, thank you, Jazz". The man has my back all the time.

"Don't worry, man. I'll always take care of you—" I hear a scream, must be Alice. "Okay, okay, woman! I'll always take care of your sister as well".

I laugh my ass off, Alice and Jasper have been together for almost two years now and while it had been difficult to accept at the beginning, now I'm thankful that a wonderful person like Jasper is taking care of my little sister. "I know, bro. Give her a hug and a smooch from me. See you tomorrow".

"See ya, Eddie!"

"Shut the f—" I start yelling but he cuts me off by hanging up on me. What is wrong with the world today? Two people have hung up on me in a matter of hours. I scoff.

After getting my stuff together, I turn the light off and head to the elevator and press basement button.

I get into my car, and go home.

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"Natey, Nateeeey! Look at me, come on, take your bottle". I hear my mom coo at Nathan in the kitchen of my apartment, as soon as I open my front door; I head towards there, stand by the doorframe, and see Esmeralda Cullen in all her mother, or grandmother, mode on.

"Mom, if he doesn't want the bottle don't force him," I say, more seriously than I intended to sound.

"Edward! You just startled me, don't do that while I'm holding Nate!" she chastises.

"Give him to me," I tell her, and she hands my son to me. I place a kiss on his copper colored hair and take a whiff of his sweet baby smell. Who would have thought I'd love a baby one day? Certainly not me, I thought I never wanted a wife nor kids. However, I could live with Nathan being an only child. An heir was good.

"He's been a very good boy today," my mom tells me.

"I can imagine. I miss him so much when I'm away from him. As soon as he's five months old, I'll start taking him to work with me. They're building a nursery in my office and renewing the day-care on the third floor," I say, looking down at Nathan who's playing with my fingers, wrapping his little hand around them and then squeezing hard.

I look up after I hear a sniff and see my mother wiping out a tear. "Who knew after such a tragedy this little miracle would save us from misery," she says hoarsely.

Swallowing the knot in my throat, I answer with a trembling voice, "I know". I can't say any more. I don't want to talk about that. Glancing at the clock above the fridge, I see it's half past six. "Do you want me to drive you home, mom?"

"Your dad's coming to pick me up". Thank God. I'd forgotten I needed to talk to the man about tomorrow, now my mom just gave me the perfect opportunity to do so.

"Then tell him to come up, I need to talk to you both about something". I head to my room to change clothes, putting Nathan on the center of the big ass bed, but surrounded by lots of pillows so he's safe. I put on sweats and a white t-shirt, and slippers while keeping an eye on my son. When I'm done, I pick him up, and cradle him against my chest while going to the living room. He doesn't look sleepy. That's good, I need him awake until 9 p.m. or so, that way he'll sleep _almost_ overnight. And I say almost because the little guy was some pretty good lungs and screams his head off when he wants something.

I see my mom opening the door, and my dad stepping in when I'm about to sit on the sofa. "Dad," I greet him, and he gives me a kiss on the cheek and then stretches out his hands to take Nathan from my arms. I let him.

"How's my little Natey?" he asks to his little Natey after having given him tons of kisses, Nathan smiles and babbles mimicking the sounds my dad does.

"He's been a pretty good boy today," my mother tells him, beaming at her husband.

"I can imagine, love". Dad kisses my mom on the lips, and then turns to me. "You wanted to talk about something?"

"Yes, uh— Swansea scheduled and 'emergency' meeting for tomorrow".

"Emergency? Why? They better not cancel the deal!" he raises his voice and that startles Nathan, who apparently had been drifting off in my father's arms.

Before he starts wailing, I take him and soothe him, rocking him and patting softly his little back. I see my dad rubbing his forehead and muttering things to himself. "My team and I won't let them cancel the contract, dad. Have a little more faith," I whisper-yell, as Nathan is starting to calm now. I don't even have faith in me, but whatever.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Edward," Carlisle says, looking at me. "It's the fact that Charles is not the boss anymore and—"

"You knew? I found out today that his daughter took over his place! You could have told me when you found out!"

"But I found out today! Charles called, said he and Renée would be heading off to Maldives for a whole month, he even invited your mother and me—"

"Why didn't you accept?!" my dad is once again cut off, this time by my mom. "I wanna go to Maldives!"

"Mom, not right now. Discuss this later. Continue, dad".

"Esme, we'll go next Monday, and stay three weeks, I did say yes! Back to you, Edward, I know Isabella has just returned from Italy, she was there with Aro Volturi, her grandfather; the man is a business Midas, must've been teaching her a lot. I know that now that she's in charge she'll make some big change, don't let this affect us, okay?! The business and the deal is yours".

"Volturi? I thought her last name was Swan . . ."

"Volturi should be their las name but Charles was given his mother's last name. Renata Swan wanted all of them to live an American life or whatever. I don't even know the story," he brushes off. "What's important is that you do what's best for the family and the business".

That's all he had to say.

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The next morning, I wake up and go see Nathan in his room. He started fussing around 3 a.m. but I bottle-fed him and went back to sleep immediately. While picking him up to change his diaper, I call my mom and put on speaker. "Hey, darling," she says.

"Mom, can I drop Nathan off? Sue is not coming today, she's sick".

"Honey! I was going to go to your place at noon, 'cause I have breakfast with my friends today. Your father is at home, I'm already in the car heading to Starbucks, leave Nathan with him and I'll later pick him and wait for you at your place".

My dad? With Nathan alone? No, thank you. "Mom, I think I'll have to just take him to the office for the first time. I have just this meeting with Swansea today and then I'm free".

"So, you don't need me today?"

"No," I laugh. "Be sad, and miss us. We'll see you tomorrow, though".

"Okay, be careful. Bring all the stuff you need, bottles, lots of diapers. Give him some belly time and—"

"Mom, I know."

"Alright, sorry, baby whisperer." God, she's now offended.

After I let her give me some lecture about stuff I _do_ know about babies and Nathan, we hang up. I finish getting my stuff ready, and also the baby's stuff.

When I arrive at the Cullen building, Mike, the security guy, opens my door. "Good morning, Sir. Mr. Whitlock is already upstairs waiting for you".

"Morning, Mike. Thank you". I go to the back seat and start unbuckling Nathan, he's fallen asleep in the car seat, so I take him in my arms and then gesture Mike to take the diaper bag and hand it to me. He does so, and he carries my briefcase.

When I reach the top floor, where my office and the biggest office room is, every single head turns and watches me as I walk with a damn diaper bag on my shoulder and a baby sleeping against my chest. I keep my eyes on my office's door and pretend I can't see everyone's open mouth.

Angela is the only one, that just smiles politely at me and opens the door for me. She closes it once I'm in and my chair spins around revealing Jasper, who was sitting on it. "Good morning, Edward—" he looks surprised. "And . . . Nathan".

"Yeah, I know. There wasn't anyone available to babysit so, here we are," I tell him and go over to sit on the leather couch. "Man, can you bring the baby stroller? It's in my trunk, please". I hand my keys to Jasper.

"Sure thing". He takes them from me.

"Tell Angela to come in, too".

I stroke Nathan's little cheek lightly, and give him a kiss on his forehead. "I love you. You look so much like Kate . . ."

"Mr. Cullen," Angela says, interrupting my thoughts.

"Ang, I need you to look after Nathan while I'm at the meeting. He'll wake up in a few minutes and after giving him his bottle I hope he sleeps for an hour or so".

"Okay, I can do that". She smiles, and leaves the room.

After getting Nathan in his stroller-turned-into-bassinet, which is an all-in-one shit that you fold and unfold depending on what you want, I give him his bottle and stare at him until the intercom buzzes and I hear my secretary's voice. "Swansea team in the elevator".

Jasper clasps his hands rubbing them together, and stands up from the couch. "Let's get the show on the road".

From the diaper bag, I take the monitors, put one next to Nathan's bassinet, and keep the other one in my hand. "I'll be back soon," I say to both him and Angela.

My team and I enter the meeting room, we position on one side of the room, the furthest from the door. Me standing at the center with Jasper on my right, and our boys behind. Jessica, the receptionist, opens the door and 5 men come in, they make space in the center and a not-so-tall brunette woman steps in. She takes her sunglasses off and says, "Gentlemen, let's begin".

I recognize the voice, that's Isabella Swan. Her men and her sit, and look expectantly at us. I clear my throat. "Welcome". Damn, that's all I can say? I'm a tough guy. Come on, Cullen! "I'm Edward Cullen, CEO of Cullen Construction but that you probably already know," I say when Isabella gives me an amused look. One of the men next to her, whispers something to her ear and she nods.

"Mr. Cullen, why don't you and your man sit and let Ms. Swan explain why we're gathered here today," the man says. "By the way, my name is Emmett Swan".

When we are all sat down, Isabella stands up. "I'm Isabella Swan, and no, you can't call me Isabella. At work I go by 'Ms. Swan', remember that". My God, the woman is _that_ cold?

She opens her laptop while Emmett turns the projector on. When they have all connected, a power-point presentation appears on the screen. It reads "Swansea".

"Swansea is an international chain that offers hotels and resorts with a top-of-the-line service. With almost twenty-four years of experience, this year has been the best one so far. Our numbers have increased and we've reached an operating income over a billion dollars". All the numbers she mentions are just right on the screen and appear as she's speaking. "A net income of 700 million dollars, total assets of—"

I just have to stop her. "Excuse me, Ms. Swan, what's this all about? I'm very glad that your company is doing so good, but here's the deal: you give me a project, I build it. End of the story. If the meeting is about you showing off, then there's no point on calling it an 'emergency meeting'," I tell her.

She stares at me.

Stares.

Stares.

Stares.

Stares, again.

The room is dead silence when she finally says something, "Oh, I thought you were professional, Cullen. This was just an introduction, after this I'm also showing off _your_ numbers". Then she continues as if I had never spoken, when she finishes with Swansea, she shows Cullen Construction's numbers, which are very surprising and pretty, I feel proud even though all that money was earned while my dad was still in charge.

"So, Cullen," Isabella calls me out. "You wanted to know why I just said what I said?"

I nod.

"Easy," she scoffs. "Our contract is over".

 _Fuck._

 _My._

 _Life._

And in that very same moment, Nathan's cried fill the room and I look down at the monitor. I forgot to turn the volume down.

 _Fuck,_ again.

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 **A/N: Leave me your thoughts! Thank You!**


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